TOKYO -- Aeon, Japan's largest retailer by sales, will soon debut a chain of self-serve smart stores in China that can anticipate what a customer will buy upon entering the establishment.
Aeon plans to convert 80 of its roughly 480 Chinese retail outlets into smart stores within the next few years. Facial-recognition technology installed in the stores will identify shoppers. Customers' smartphones will then display recommended items and coupons based on purchasing habits and digital payment history.
